Linda Yaccarino, the chief executive officer (CEO) of X, formerly Twitter, has announced that the social media platform will launch a payment system called X Money in 2025.

In a statement on X on Tuesday, Yaccarino said 2025 will connect X users in ways never thought possible.

“In 2024, X changed the world. Now, YOU are the media!” she said.

“2025 X will connect you in ways never thought possible. X TV, X Money, Grok and more.

“Buckle up. Happy New Year!”

A Nigerian family has urged Kenya Airways Limited to pay $1 million as general damages and compensation over an allegedly botched Christmas trip involving their daughter, a “minor.”

The family, represented by Donald Ibebuike of the Creed & Brooks Partners law firm, addressed the airline in a letter dated December 21, 2024.

The firm accused the airline of allegedly exposing the entire family of its client (Akhanememeh Joseph Osikhena) to unplanned expenditure and disruption of family plans following the botched trip of their daughter (a minor).

Allegations by Creed & Brooks 

According to the letter addressed to the Managing Director of Kenya Airways Ltd in Lagos and copied to the airline’s Nairobi office, the family purchased and was issued return tickets for their trip by the airline through Wakanow.com Ltd. on August 31, 2024.

The family intended to take the trip to celebrate Christmas and New Year together, visit friends and close relatives across the United Kingdom, and explore tourist attractions and historical monuments before departing the UK for Nigeria on January 5, 2025.

The lawyer added that in line with the planned itinerary, the client and his family began their UK trip at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, on December 16, 2024.

He stated that the travel documents of his client and his family members, including the minor (Ms. Gabriella Ikhianosimeh Akhanemeh), were duly checked by Kenya Airways in Lagos, and they were issued with boarding passes for the flight to Heathrow, London, with a stopover at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, before proceeding to London Heathrow.

However, he added, the airline allegedly refused to allow the minor to board its airplane at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, citing  “clerical errors” on her travel document, which had already been processed and accepted in Lagos, Nigeria, by the airline.

“Apparently, the passport numbers referenced as accompanying the parents were inadvertently and incorrectly entered by one digit each, but the names were correctly stated by the UK Border Agency. 

“Given that our client’s daughter, Ms. Gabriella Ikhianosimeh Akhanemeh, is a minor and in order to attend to her bruised emotions and psychological stability, our client had to discontinue his journey while his wife, Mrs. Rita Nwamaka Akhanemeh, continued and completed her trip to London Heathrow with their other two children, Ms. Brenda Ekhaosi Akhanemeh and Mr. Jordan Eghoghor Akhanemeh,” the letter reads in part. 

The lawyer contended that the airline should not have abandoned the family’s daughter halfway, regardless of the clerical errors, as the family had been cleared by the airline’s Nigerian office.

He added that the airline insisted his client and his daughter return to Nigeria.

Ibebuike further claims that the airline advised his client and his daughter to pay over $4,000 before they could be returned to Lagos, Nigeria, describing the development as an alleged “infamous and ill-conceived decision,” which exposed his client to unplanned expenditure and trauma in Nairobi, Kenya.

“Take notice that, owing to this and other associated reasons, our client has instructed us to demand and we hereby demand that you immediately continue and complete our client and Ms. Gabriella Ikhianosimeh Akhanemeh’s journey to London Heathrow, or return them to Lagos, Nigeria, at no cost, without any delay, and pay damages and reparation to him, his daughter, and the entire family in the sum of USD 1,000,000.00 (One Million United States Dollars) within seven (7) days of receipt of this letter,” the letter demands. 

The law firm urged the airline to comply with its demands in the interest of justice.

Nairametrics contacted Kenya Airways for a response, but the airline had not replied at the time of publishing this report.

The Central Bank of Nigeria and the Securities and Exchange Commission have approved the N147bn rights offer of FCMB Group.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday which was signed by the Company Secretary, Olufunmilayo Adedibu.

This marked the second approval from the CBN in days on the first tranche of capital-raising exercise of banks this year.

It was revealed that the offer was oversubscribed by 33 per cent, attracting 42,800 investors, with 92 per cent subscribing via more convenient digital channels such as the bank’s mobile app and ushering in over 39,000 new investors to the FCMB Group.

The total amount raised and verified by the regulators is N147,508,464,568.60, and N144,559,788,701.30 was absorbed through the issuance of 19,802,710,781 ordinary shares at N7.30 per share, bringing the total post-offer issued shares to 39,605,421,562 shares.

FCMB said that it has also obtained regulatory approvals to use the net proceeds of the public offer to strengthen the capital base of its banking subsidiary, First City Monument Bank.

With the new fund injection, the new capital base of FCMB stands at over N240bn, which exceeds the minimum requirement for a national banking license.

The firm said it is aiming to retain its international banking licence and would be able to achieve that target with the subsequent phases of the FCMB Group’s capital program.

Commenting on the successful completion of the public offer, the Group Chief Executive, Mr. Ladi Balogun, said, “We are grateful to our existing shareholders and new investors for coming out strongly to support this offer. The success of the public offer reflects significant investor confidence in our strategy and growth potential, as well as trust in the board, leadership, and our people to fulfil our commitments and realise this potential.

“We also extend our profound appreciation to the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Nigerian Exchange Limited for their continued foresight, innovation, guidance, and support, which has been instrumental in achieving this significant milestone.

“This marks an important step forward in our journey to unlock new opportunities, create value for our shareholders, and contribute to the economic growth of Nigeria and Africa. We remain committed to executing the subsequent phases of our capital-raising program in 2025.”

At the recently held Extraordinary General Meeting, shareholders approved the plans to raise N340bn as additional capital.